A Change In Me
by guardiangirl92
Summary: Tori dreams of adventure beyond Hollow Bastion, but when her brother is captured, Tori agrees to take his place. But little did she know of what awaited her at HB Castle...a world she had only read about in her favorite book. Based on Beauty and the Beast
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Beauty and the Beast. **This fan fiction is just for fun and I'm just a fan of the games. The only thing I do own is the plotline and my OC's.

**Full Summary:** Tori is a young girl who wants adventure in the other Worlds beyond the confines of Hollow Bastion like the ones her friends and big brother have. But when her brother, Terra, is captured and held prisoner at Hollow Bastion Castle, Tori agrees to take his place and becomes a prisoner, forsaking her dreams of adventure forever. But little did she know that she would find an adventure in such a gloomy, forsaken place or fall in love with a beast that would soon become her very best friend.  
The townsfolk in Hollow Bastion think that Tori is such a very strange girl, always with her head in the clouds, dreaming, but little did they know of how special this nineteen year old girl was.

I hope that you all enjoy this fan fiction (it's my very first one) and all comments and criticism are welcome.

And now, without further adieu, I am proud to present A Change In Me.

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Prologue

Once upon a time, in a faraway World, a young prince lived in a shining castle near the small town of Hollow Bastion with his parents, King Ritsu and his beautiful queen, Ailee the Fair. The king and queen were Hollow Bastion's beloved monarchs and the land prospered under their kind and gentle rule.

The young prince was very handsome. He had silver moonbeam-like hair, like the queen's, and his father's aquamarine eyes that were as vast and blue as the sea and kind. He was beloved by all of Hollow Bastion Castle's servants and their children were his best friends ever since they were very young.

But the friendship between the prince and his friends was tested when an evil witch came to the Castle. She snuck past the guards and spirited away the fifteen year old prince in the middle of the night, the same night that King Mickey of Disney Castle disappeared. Ritsu and Ailee were grief-stricken when they found that their only son had been kidnapped and the king sent word to all the Worlds about his son's disappearance, and to find his son and bring him home. Determined to find his missing friend, the prince's best friend since childhood, a mere servant boy, went to go find him.

While he scoured the Worlds for his lost friend, the servant boy ran into King Mickey's men, who were looking for their lost king. After a run in with the Heartless, the trio found out that the boy could wield the Keyblade and journeyed with him to find his lost friend, the prince.

After many adventures in the other Worlds, the servant boy finally found his beloved friend, but the evil witch had brainwashed him into believing that his best friend, the servant boy, was the enemy. The prince had also kidnapped one of their childhood friends, a young girl who was one of the Princesses of Heart, and the other six princesses from their home Worlds. Then the evil witch took the princesses and the prince back to Hollow Bastion Castle to assemble the necessary components to unlock the heart of all Worlds, Kingdom Hearts.

The witch stormed the Castle with her Heartless and killed Ritsu and Ailee. The younger servants had hidden themselves from the Heartless while the older servants fought the little monsters, protecting the younglings, but lost their hearts in an effort to take back their home and avenge the death of their beloved master and mistress. When the servant boy arrived at the Castle to stop the witch's plans, it was too late to save his king and queen and many of the older servants had been slain by the Heartless.

Seeing the carnage around him, and his mother and father killed before his very eyes, the prince was brought back to his senses. Filled with rage against the witch that had taken him from his family and hurt his friends, the prince battled the witch alongside his best friend, the servant boy. The witch was very strong and powerful, living up to her title as the Mistress of All Evil, but not strong enough to defeat two exceptionally talented Keyblade Bearers, and was finally vanquished.

But before she died, the evil witch cursed the prince and his entire household. The servants were turned into common inanimate household objects found in the Castle, but the witch had something much worse in mind for the prince's torment. The prince screamed in pain as he felt his features twist and change: bones cracking and realigning themselves, cruel claws replacing fingernails, teeth sharpening into dog-like fangs, and silvery fur sprouting from every inch of his skin. The servants could only watch helplessly as their master's tortured and writhing figure was transformed from the form of the boy they all knew so well into that of a hideous beast.

Just as her spell had completed its task, the witch died and nothing was left of her save one long torn scrap of her black cloak.

The prince panted from the pain he had experienced and looked around at his dear friends. They just gazed at him with sadness apparent in their eyes. His best friend brought him a small mirror and the prince finally realized why his servants had looked upon him with such grief. The witch had turned him into a silver-haired beast. The only things that hadn't changed were his aquamarine eyes, as vast and blue as the sea. But his beautiful orbs were dulled with grief for his friends and family, and the guilt welling up inside of him because of the fate he had subjected his friends to.

Seeing his anguish, the guardian of Hollow Bastion's heart, Ninrael, took pity upon her prince. She came to him and told him what he needed to do to break the spell the evil witch had placed upon him. He needed to love another and earn her love in return, but he only had a little more than five years before the spell became permanent.

The prince begged her to release him from the spell, but Ninrael only sighed. The spell was too strong for her to break on her own power. Only the original spellcaster could release him from his enchantment or else he would have to break it himself. Since the witch that had placed the curse on him had perished, the prince could only break the spell by loving another unconditionally and gaining her love in return.

Ninrael gave him a pure white rose that would bloom then wilt, shedding one petal at a time. When the last petal fell, the curse would become a perpetual spell. The rose, she said, would be a reminder of how much time the prince had left to break the spell before his enchantment became eternally permanent.

Along with the rose, Ninrael gave the prince a magic mirror that showed the beholder anything they wished to see and a small silver whistle that, when blown, would bring help of some kind to the owner.

The prince thanked her for her generous gifts, but he felt so ashamed by his monstrous form and that this beautiful enchantress had to see him this way. Ninrael knew what her prince was thinking and shook her head. The enchantress told him that even though he was under the spell, she could still see the boy within the beast. Though Ninrael's words were to encourage him, the prince was still sorrowful.

After Ninrael had kissed his forehead and bid him farewell, disappearing in a burst of light, the beast concealed himself inside his castle with the magic mirror that the enchantress had given him as his only window to the outside world. From then on the prince was a prisoner in his own home, trapped within the body of a beast.

The years passed by and the beast fell into despair despite his friends' support and high hopes that one day he would find his one true love and break the spell. He had lost all hope, and became cold and withdrawn, for who could ever learn to love a beast?


	2. Chapter 1 Beauty

**Discalimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Finnikin of the Rock, or Beauty and the Beast. **I only own the plotline and my OC's.

Well, here is the first chapter of A Change In Me. Enjoy and don't be afraid to comment.

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Chapter One

Beauty

Five years since the prince disappeared, Hollow Bastion had become very commonplace and tiresome with no sign of the Heartless anywhere. For Torilee Serai, Tori for short, the routine in her new home became so habitual since she and her brother, Terra Serai, came to live in Hollow Bastion four years ago and she was growing tired of it. She wanted adventure like the ones that she read about in her books.

But the townspeople thought that Tori Serai was a bit odd. Tori read all the time when she wasn't helping Terra and her friends, the ninja Yuffie and Cid Highwind. And when she wasn't reading, Tori was busy writing stories or song lyrics in her notebooks or writing chords and notes on staff paper when she got a new idea for a song as she played on the piano that she and Terra owned. She wasn't part of any of the clicks in Hollow Bastion and stayed mostly to herself.

The townsfolk would whisper to each other that Tori Serai was indeed very beautiful, no question about that, but she was a very funny girl. All the men in Hollow Bastion fancied her, wanting to become her husband or boyfriend, and all the women and young girls envied her beauty. But she wasn't interested in marriage or having a boyfriend at the moment and didn't think that she was really _that_ beautiful to be the envy of the town.

They would also whisper things about Tori's brother, Terra Serai, as well, saying that he was just as strange as his beautiful younger sister.

Terra was a Keyblade Bearer, but had decided to take a break from his duties after his last venture to the Worlds with his friends Ventus and Aqua to spend more time with Tori. While Terra worked on Hollow Bastion's defense system with Cid Highwind, Tori would go to the Hollow Bastion Public Library to get new books.

Each time she went out and about Hollow Bastion, Tori would hear all the gossip the townsfolk whispered about her in their little groups and clicks, mostly the girls and women. They would whisper things to each other like, "Oh, she is a beauty."

"Yes, but she is so wild. You wouldn't see _me_ riding a horse like that or with _my_ head in the clouds all the time writing nonsense."

"Why won't she just settle down and start a family like the rest of us? She has already caught Marluxia's eye. Why not marry him?"

"She is a beautiful girl, but very strange."

There was a time or two that Tori thought that she would go mad from their constant muttering about her being beautiful but strange. During those times she would take her horse, Scarlet, through the gorge at a full gallop or run and seek refuge wherever her friends happened to be. One of her most sacred sanctuaries was the Hollow Bastion Public Library…her prominent source of peace and books to check out to her heart's content.

One morning, Tori gathered her things and headed for the library since she had finished the newest book that had joined the small library's impressively vast collection: _Finnikin of the Rock_. She went before the mid-morning rush so that she wouldn't have to listen to any gossip and enjoy her walk. Tori smiled as she sprinted the last block to the library door and went inside.

"Morning, Ansem!" Tori said to the librarian as she walked through the door. Hollow Bastion Public Library's librarian was an older gentleman with slicked back light blonde hair that came down to his shoulders, a beard, and bright crimson eyes that were kind.

"Good morning, Tori," he replied in his deep, baritone voice with a delighted twinkle in his crimson eyes at the sight of the young girl.

Ansem was one of Tori's good friends, along with Cid and Yuffie. The kind librarian took Tori under his wing when she first came to Hollow Bastion and befriended her. He also gave Tori a sanctuary in his world of books, away from the townspeople's whispers and gossip about her. It was a place where she could be herself and for her to talk about anything with Ansem.

Tori would tell Ansem about her problems and he would always listen with open ears and a sincere heart. From the first time she had stepped through the library door, Ansem knew that Tori was very special. Not because of her beauty, but because of her kind and pure heart.

"I came to return _Finnikin_. I'm glad you recommended it to me, Ansem. It was really good!" Tori handed the volume to the librarian and went straight for the shelves.

"Finished it all ready, Tori? You checked out _Finnikin_ only two days ago." Ansem asked with a knowing smile as he put the book's checkout card in its pocket inside the hardback cover.

"Oh, I couldn't put it down, Ansem," Tori said as she browsed the vast and numerous rows of shelves. "Do you have any new books in today?"

"Ha-ha! Not since you checked out _Finnikin of the Rock_ two days ago, Tori."

"That's perfectly fine. I'll borrow…this one then, Ansem." She handed him a blue volume with the Kingdom Key and the Way to the Dawn Keyblade crossing each other and stamped on the ultramarine leather bound cover with gold leaf, the title scrawled in curvy gold lettering on the binding. _Legends of the Keyblade Bearers._

"_Legends of the Keyblade Bearers_? But you've read this book so many times that I've lost count. I swear that you love this book more than all the books in my collection."

"Oh, no, I love them all, Ansem, but this one's my absolute favorite! Far off Worlds, daring Keyblade fights, brave heroes, and a prince in disguise! I can read it over and over again and still be enchanted by it just like when I read it the first time." Ansem laughed and held out the worn yet well-loved book to her.

"Well, if you love it so much, Tori, it's yours." Tori was shocked by his very generous offer. She hopped off the ladder she'd been standing on and said, "But, Ansem, it's your only copy."

"Yes, but I think that this book has chosen you. I always make sure that a book finds a good home where it will be read again and again and will be well taken care of. Besides, no one really reads _Legends of the Keyblade Bearers_ besides you." The librarian sighed. "Nobody seems to care about the Keyblade Wars anymore ever since our Prince disappeared."

"I heard that he was a Keyblade Bearer. Is that true?" Tori had heard about Hollow Bastion's prince who used to live in the old Castle, but that was a very long time ago. She used to fantasize herself meeting him face to face, but that had only been a childhood dream that she used to have a long time ago when she was fifteen and a hopeless romantic. In fact, she was still a hopeless romantic.

Hope_ful_, her brother always kept reminding her.

"Yes, but he sometimes used his power for the wrong reasons and for the side of Darkness instead of Light," Ansem replied sadly as if he was recalling a horrible memory.

"If I was a Bearer, I would help people and fight off the Heartless like my brother and my friends, Aqua and Ven," Tori said with a longing in her voice. Tori had always wondered why she wasn't a Keyblade Bearer. Since her brother was one, and so was her father, didn't that mean that being a Keyblade Bearer ran in the family? Maybe one day she would be…maybe she was just a late bloomer like Terra said.

Ansem smiled. "I'm sure you would, Tori. You would make a wonderful Keyblade Bearer, one that is very kind and fair in her judgment. Now go. I bet your brother doesn't want you away from him and your friends for long periods of time."

"Terra's just being overprotective. I really can handle myself, but thank you for the advice." Tori took the book from Ansem's hands and smiled. As Tori opened the door of the small library, she said, "See you soon, Ansem!"

"Goodbye, Tori." She waved one last time at the librarian before closing the door.

While she walked to the Bailey, Tori started reading her book silently to herself.

'_Once there was a King that lived in a World known as Disney Castle. He was a Keyblade Bearer of the most peculiar kind for this king was a mouse; Mickey Mouse to be exact. His reign over Disney Castle was a peaceful one, but one day the Heartless began to increase ten-fold and the King had to leave his kingdom to check it out. He left a message for his friends the Court Magician, Donald Duck, and his Captain of the Guard, Goofy, telling them to find…_'

"Hello, Tori," said a smooth, tenor voice. Tori was rudely jolted out of the world in her book and felt the volume taken out of her hands. She grabbed for her precious book but stopped short when she saw who had taken it from her.

He was a good five inches taller than Tori was and had sleek rose pink hair that cascaded down to his masculine shoulders. Hollow Bastion's playboy and Tori's constant tormentor ever since she had stepped foot in her new home. Marluxia.

"Hello, Marluxia," Tori said with a tone that showed that she wasn't very pleased to see him at all. Marluxia paid no attention to her tone and casually flipped through the pages of her book.

Marluxia was a good four years older than Tori and was the most handsome man in all of Hollow Bastion. All the bachelors were jealous of him and all the girls would giggle and blush as he passed them by in the streets and wink at them every now and again. Except Tori.

Ever since Tori came to Hollow Bastion when she was fifteen, she had unconsciously stolen Marluxia's affections with her uncommon beauty and innocence. Marluxia tried time and again to woo her and win her heart with his speech and charm, but Tori wasn't fooled.

She had to keep countering his advances and wouldn't go anywhere without her friend, Yuffie, and always asked Ansem to accompany her back home after an afternoon at the library when she was younger. Now that she was older, Tori could take care of herself, but always tried to stay clear of Marluxia since she was of marrying age. The thought of being his wife made Tori's skin crawl with disgust.

But the reason that Marluxia pursued Tori was that he _could_ have any other girl in town. Tori would be his greatest, and most beautiful, conquest and a perfect wife for their children.

"You're reading this book _again_, Tori?" Marluxia asked with a hint of disgust masked in his suave and silky smooth voice.

"Yes, now may I please have it back?" Tori asked very patiently. Tori grabbed for her book when he didn't give it to her, but Marluxia merely raised it above his head and out of her reach.

"Why do you read books, dear sweet Tori?" he asked in his silkiest voice that made even the most modest of girls swoon. But Tori wasn't phased by his sweet talk. In fact, she was the only girl in Hollow Bastion that _could_ keep her head around Marluxia while the other girls just fawned over him, desperately hoping that they would become his wife.

"Because I love reading and there's really nothing else to do here. Now, would you please give my book back to me," Tori demanded as politely as she could, trying to be civil. Marluxia raised an eyebrow at her then chuckled.

"Tori, Tori, Tori, of course there are lots of things to do in Hollow Bastion. I can show you if you like." Marluxia moved himself closer to Tori than she would've liked. Tori backed a step away from him and countered his advances by saying, "I've got to head over to the Bailey, Marluxia. I need to help my brother and Cid with the computers. And anyway, I don't go anywhere without telling Terra first."

"Excuses, excuses," said a voice that could've belonged to a surfer. It was Mr. Skunk-hair-and-eye-patch himself. Xigbar. "I mean, this is Marluxia we're talking about. I bet your bro would understand."

"I'm very sorry, but I have to go." Tori grabbed her book from Marluxia's hands and ran for it as fast as she could, leaving the two men dumbfounded. Once she was out of range, Tori slowed down to a walk and headed for the Bailey.

xXNo change of heart... A change in meXx

"Dude, why do you go after her?" Xigbar asked his pink haired friend after Tori had fled the scene. "I mean, it's obvious that Tori doesn't like you at all and she's a bookworm to boot."

"She's the most beautiful girl in Hollow Bastion, that's why…with her chocolate colored hair and those vivid green eyes…"

"I know, but still, Marluxia, it's a lost cause to pursue her. She has no eyes for anyone let alone you." Marluxia glared at Xigbar then turned his gaze to where his girl had run off to.

"I love her, Xigbar, and I want her to marry me. She's nineteen now anyway, a beautiful rose in full bloom and ready to be picked and claimed. The arrangements have already been made, Xigbar. I'm going to propose to Tori tomorrow."

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Don't forget to review and comment. All comments are very welcome.


	3. Chapter 2 Loyal Friends

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Beauty and the Beast. **I only own the plot line and my OC's.

Here is chapter two of A Change In Me. I hope you all enjoy it!

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Chapter Two

Loyal Friends

Tori rounded a few more street corners, walked down a couple flights of stairs, and walked down the alley leading to the Bailey, trying to forget about Marluxia. After walking for ages, Tori opened the door that led to the central computers only to be welcomed by a huge bang and a cloud of smoke. She coughed and left the door open to vent out the choking mass.

"Terra? Cid?" Tori called, still coughing a bit as the smoke cleared, before she heard a gruff voice shout, "Darn this old bucket of bolts! I just fixed that!"

Tori chuckled then walked over to the main computer. And what came out from behind it was a black Cid Highwind covered head to toe with dust.

"It was dusty. What do you expect, Cid?" Terra coughed, who was as black as his partner, as he emerged from behind the computer. Tori giggled at them both and the laughter caught the two men's attention. Terra smiled at his sister and Cid grinned, pulling out an old rag from his pocket.

"Well, hey there, Tori," Cid said as he wiped off his blackened face with the rag. "What brings ya here to this neck of the woods?"

"I came to help, Cid, and it looks like you need it," Tori replied with a snigger.

Cid chuckled then said, "Well, go on and have a look. Then maybe we can get this old bucket of bolts to finally work."

Tori went behind the computers and, with a great deal of searching, found the problem. Two wires were unplugged and a wrench had somehow lodged itself in between a couple parts of the circuits. No wonder the computer had short circuited on the boys.

Tori pulled out the wrench with a little bit of difficulty and adjusted the wires before shouting, "Start 'er up!"

Terra flipped the switch and the computer started up without any blowouts or glitches.

"Great job, Tori!" Terra called and Tori walked out holding the wrench in her hand. "So what was wrong with the computer, sis?"

"Well, bro, a couple wires were unplugged and this…" She held up the wrench for the boys to see it. "…was lodged in between a couple of the parts." Tori handed the wrench to Cid, who put it in his tool box embarrassed, his face slightly flushed. Tori shook her head and smiled at the mechanic. Cid smiled back at her with a sheepish grin.

"Well, now that that's cleared up, shall we run the defense program Cid and I made?"

"Let's do it!" Terra popped in the CD into the hard drive and ran the program. It ran without any firewalls or viruses blocking the progress. The program was a success and the Heartless defense program was up and running.

"Well, no Heartless will be terrorizing Hollow Bastion anymore," Terra announced once the program was done setting up on the main computer.

"Good, 'cause I need a break," said a light and airy female voice. Tori turned around and smiled as a girl around her age with short black hair and a large fuma shuriken in her hand walked into the computer room.

"Hey, Yuffie!"

"Hey, yourself, Tori," said the young ninja as she plopped herself in a chair. Tori grabbed Yuffie a water bottle from the table by the door. Yuffie accepted it gratefully and took a swig.

"So, how was scouting, Yuffie?" Terra asked with a grin as he checked the programs that had been already loaded on the computer by a previous owner to make sure that everything was running smoothly.

"Ugh, don't remind me, Terra! Well, there are no Heartless around Hollow Bastion anymore, but the old Castle is a different story." This caught Terra's attention.

"Really? What did you find?"

"A lot of Heartless just outside the Castle gates," Yuffie replied. "They want to go inside, but they looked too scared to try."

"Hmm, I'll have to take a look at that sometime this week," Terra confirmed as he started to run a virus control system on the main computers. Tori sighed.

'_It's just another Heartless extermination,_' she told herself. '_It'll be fine. Don't worry about it. It'll be fine._'

Terra finished up with the virus protection programs and a couple firewalls for extra protection then shouted, "Hey, Cid?"

"What, Terra?" Cid replied from the power room a story below them.

"How 'bout some lunch?" Terra asked with a grin.

"All right. Be right up, you three." Terra, Tori, and Yuffie went to the kitchen and cooked up some grilled ham and cheese sandwiches and grilled zucchini with lots of Greek seasoning that Aqua had brought from Olympus Coliseum when she and Ven came to visit them a couple months ago. Cid finally came into the kitchen when they had started setting the table with four sodas in his hands. They all sat down around the square dining table and had lunch.

"So, did you have a good time in town today, Tori?" Terra asked his baby sister.

"I got a new book at the library. _Legends of the Keyblade Bearers_." Terra smiled knowingly.

"You certainly love your books, Tori. You're just like mom. You both have a voracious appetite for reading books, and lots of them, as well as your love of music." Tori smiled as she thought of her mom, remembering when she would read to her when she was younger. Her first book that her mom had read to her was _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe_ by C.S. Lewis.

"Well, they take me to far off places and Worlds where there is adventure, mystery, romance, and happy endings. Hey, Terra…if I ask you something…will you answer me truthfully?" Tori asked him.

"Don't I always, Tori? You know that I would never lie to you."

"Do you think I'm…odd?" The question caught Terra off guard. He raised an eyebrow at his baby sister with a frown on his face.

"My baby sis…odd? Now where did you get an idea like that, Tori? And don't tell me it was the townsfolk because I've already heard all the things that they've said about you."

"It's just that…I don't seem to fit in here in Hollow Bastion. There's no one I can talk to or who understands me, other than you guys and Ansem."

"What 'bout that Marluxia character?" Cid asked Tori from across the table as he started on his zucchini. "He seems to be seein' ya a lot."

"Cid, I don't like him!"

"I don't like him either. Not one bit, Cid," said Yuffie crossly. "He's too pushy and I don't like that look in his eye when he looks at Tori. It's a hungry, predatory expression if you ask me. He kinda reminds me of Sephiroth back at home in a way."

Cid's face went pale at the mentioning of Sephiroth. "Ya mean that silver haired creep that we battled back on Midgar?"

"The same, Cid," Yuffie confirmed as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"That bad, huh?" Terra asked Yuffie. She gave him the 'Do I look like I'm kidding? And don't say yes or else I'll punch you into next week' look and said, "Heck, yeah, Key Boy!"

The four were silent for a couple minutes until Cid broke the ice. "He is handsome, Tori."

"Oh, he's handsome all right, Cid," Tori said sarcastically, "and vulgar, arrogant, and a million other names besides! You guys, he's not for me. I want to marry someone who loves me for who I am on the inside, not just the outside."

"Attagirl, Tori. That's the spirit!" said Cid and he stood up. The mechanic took their empty plates to the sink and started running some water as he got out the dish soap. "So, what are we gonna do 'bout the Heartless problem up at the Castle?"

"I'm going to go to the Castle tomorrow and deal with it," Terra decided aloud. All eyes turned to him. Tori's eyes widened at his decision, betraying her alarm.

"Terra, you can't!" Tori cried the fear of losing her brother apparent in her emerald orbs.

"Yes, I can, Tori." Terra looked at her straight in the eye, his gaze unrelenting. Tori backed down after a couple of seconds, fixing her eyes on the table top, unable to look Terra in the face. "Who else better to go than a Keyblade Bearer?"

He had a good point, there was no denying it. Tori sighed then said, "Fine, but take Scarlet with you, please?"

"But, Tori, she's your horse."

"I'd just feel better if you took her with you to Hollow Bastion Castle, Terra. Please take her, bro. Do it for me and my conscious," Tori begged her older brother, grabbing his hand.

Terra thought it over a while then said, "All right, Tori. I'll take Scarlet."

Terra stood up and started to dry off the dishes for Cid. As the two men put the dishes away, Tori thought to herself, '_I just hope he knows what he's doing._'

xXNo change of heart... A change in meXx

The next morning, Terra packed a change of clothes, food, water, and plenty of potions in his pack, along with a couple Keychains he had, and secured his pack on Scarlet's saddle. Cid, Yuffie, and Tori had come along to see him off at the entrance to the gorge that led to the Castle.

Tori hugged her brother and said, "Be safe, Terra."

"I will, Tori, don't worry." Tori looked up at his face and gave her brother a small smile. Terra smiled back then said, "Stay out of trouble, Tori, and either go to the library, Merlin's house, or to wherever Yuffie or Cid will be. And don't stray too far from any of those places while I'm away, especially home."

"Don't worry, Terra. I've no intentions of going anywhere else."

"Good. I've gotta go, Tori, see you soon."

"See you soon." After one last hug goodbye, Tori and Terra separated. Tori stood in between Yuffie and Cid, her eyes slightly betraying her worry for her brother. Terra looked at the trio for a moment, as if he was trying to burn their memory into his heart like brand so that he would never forget them, then said, "Take care of her, Cid, Yuffie."

"We will, Terra," Yuffie said with her signature Yuffie-smile.

"Don't worry 'bout a thing while yer gone." Terra smiled at them then mounted Scarlet. With a wave towards Tori and a whinny from Scarlet, they galloped down into the gorge and towards Hollow Bastion Castle, ready to deal with whatever he would find there.

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So what's going to happen next to Terra? Wait and see in the next chapter.

Tori: Is my big brother going to be okay?

Guardian: What and see, Tori.


	4. Chapter 3 Beast

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Beauty and the Beast. **I only own my OCs and the plotline in this fan fic.

I finally got around to chapter three! I hope that you all enjoy it!

Tori: So what happens to Terra, Guardian?

Guardian: Be patient, Tori. You'll see.

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Chapter Three

Beast

It took Scarlet a few hours to reach Hollow Bastion Castle and there wasn't a single Heartless in sight. As they came to the ledge that overlooked the Castle, Terra reined Scarlet to a halt and looked around. The Keyblade Bearer and the chestnut horse stood near the edge of the cliff for a few minutes more.

But where were all the Heartless Yuffie had talked about yesterday afternoon?

"Hmm. This is not good, Scarlet. According to Yuffie, this place should be crawling with Heartless," Terra said softly to the chestnut mare, turning around this way and that in the saddle to look around the canyon to see if there were any Heartless hiding around him in the rocks. "Well, girl, if there aren't any Heartless, then let's go home."

Then suddenly, just as Terra was going to turn Scarlet around and head back to Hollow Bastion, something pounced on the unexpecting Keyblade Bearer from above, knocking him off Scarlet, making her rear when she felt Terra leave her saddle. Scarlet whinnied in fear before she took off down the canyon towards Hollow Bastion, leaving Terra behind alone with his assailant.

"Scarlet, wait!" Terra called, but the frightened horse was already miles away by now and out of earshot. Pain shot up Terra's left arm and he jumped back out of instinct. On his arm were two claw marks that were already starting to bleed.

Heartless.

Terra held out his right arm and his Keyblade appeared in a flash of light. The well-seasoned Keyblade Bearer positioned himself in his fighting stance and waited. He heard shuffling to his right and he whipped himself around, destroying two Heartless, but the fiends had friends. One hundred of them in fact and they all attacked Terra at the same time.

Terra felt little claws dig into his skin, making it bleed, but still he kept fighting. He couldn't give up now. He fought them until there were only ten of them left, but he was already tired from fighting the others and his wounds were still bleeding, depleting his energy as well. Terra staggered for a second and the Heartless saw their chance. They kept attacking, driving him closer and closer to the gate of the Castle.

Terra felt something hard and cold hit his back. He turned around to find that he was at the Castle gates. Desperate, he flung the iron wrought doors open and stumbled inside. Terra shut the gates with a loud clang then backed up a couple of feet away from the iron bars. The Heartless stood a foot away from the bars, stared at Terra for a minute, then retreated back into the gorge once more. Everything was still again.

Terra breathed a sigh of relief then walked across the stone bridge towards the Castle doors. Hurt and exhausted, Terra warily went inside.

The entrance hall was enormous and Terra's footsteps echoed on the stone floor.

"Hello?" Terra called his voice no louder than a whisper. No one answered. "Hello?" Terra repeated a little louder than before but still softly. "Is anyone here?"

Then, so softly that Terra couldn't hear, two voices murmured to each other in the dark.

"Do you think he saw us?"

"Shush!" the other hissed shrewdly to the candelabra. "Keep your voice down, Sora, and maybe he'll go away."

"I…I lost my horse," continued Terra as he peered into the darkness of the hall. "And I need a place to stay 'til I'm able to battle the Heartless outside your door so I can get home. I really don't mean to trespass on your land. I'm a Keyblade Bearer if you want to know."

"Oh, c'mon, Leon, have a heart. He took out all those Heartless by himself!" Sora, the candelabra, said to the clock, trying to soften him up so that the Keyblade Bearer could stay the night at the Castle.

"No!" Leon said, and he placed a 'hand' over Sora's mouth so that he wouldn't make any more noise and alert the stranger of their presence. To free his mouth to talk to the newcomer, Sora placed his flickering left candle 'hand' next to Leon's metal one and set it aglow.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, OW!" cried Leon and he took his hand away from Sora's mouth so that he could blow on his glowing, red-hot hand.

"Of course, you're welcome here!" Sora called out to Terra in his usual friendly tone. Terra spun around and picked up Sora so that he could see the vast spaces of the hall that were shrouded in impenetrable darkness.

"Who's there?" Terra asked the darkness around him as he spun around in his spot to look at every corner of the room.

"Over here!" called Sora. Terra spun around to where he had heard Sora's voice and saw no one in that direction. "Over here!" Sora called again. Terra spun around again and again, still not seeing anyone in the room with him. Seeing that his current course of action wasn't working, Sora tapped Terra on the shoulder. Results.

Terra turned his head to the right and came face to face with the candelabra only to see a human-like face in the wax. "Hello!" Sora said brightly.

Terra reacted and dropped the candelabra out of surprise. Sora clanged on the ground and groaned after his metal body had collided with the stone floor. He rubbed his head and stood up to brush himself off.

"Whoa!" Terra said to himself. Leon, on the other hand, hopped off the table that he and Sora had been on and said furiously, "Well, now you've done it, Sora. This is splendid, just splendid!"

"Sorry, Leon, I had to," the young candelabra replied, trying to defend his cause. Terra thought that Sora was probably around Tori's age. The clock wasn't convinced.

"That is not a good excuse for your behavior," the ticked-off clock snapped.*

"Umm, hello," Terra said to the two animate objects as he dropped down to one knee beside them. Might as well introduce himself since he was part of the conversation. "I'm Terra, if you want to know."

"Hi there, Terra!" said the excited candelabra. "I'm Sora and this is Leon."

Leon looked up at the human with a scowl on his face and bluntly said, "Hi."

"I didn't mean to intrude, ya know, uh, Leon. I battled about 90 of the Heartless outside the Castle gates and I needed to get away, but my horse ran off and, oh…" Terra's head swam and he put a hand to his head. He was dizzy from blood loss and exhaustion.

"You're hurt, Terra, and you need to rest," said Sora and he started hopping over to one of the entrance hall's side rooms. "C'mon, let's get you situated by the fire."

"Thanks, Sora," Terra said tiredly and he stumbled along as he followed the spiky 'haired' candelabra to one of the side chambers in the foyer. Leon followed them, protesting the entire way there, but, above them in the open-aired hall leading to the main stairway, something silver flashed in the dark.

xXNo change of heart... A change in meXx

Sora, I demand that you stop this madness right now!" Leon ordered, attempting to pull Terra to a stop, but only succeeded in falling on his face at the bottom of the shallow stairs leading to the doorway. Sora paid no attention to the clock's orders and led Terra to the huge armchair next to the fire.

"Oh, no! Not the master's chair!" Leon cried, but no one took any notice to his cries. Then a bark rang out through the room and a footrest ran over to Terra on all fours like a dog, happily barking and wagging a tassel like a tail. "I'm not seeing this! I'm not seeing this!" wailed Leon repeatedly as the footrest rubbed its head, so to speak, against Terra's hand. Terra smiled then rubbed the footrest's head like he would rub a dog's.

"Well, hello there, boy," Terra said to the footrest as it put itself underneath his feet.

"That's Pluto, by the way," Sora said, pointing to the footrest. Pluto. Now where had Terra heard that name before? A coat hanger also came and wrapped a warm blanket around Terra.

"Oh, why, thank you." The coat hanger gave a small bow and hopped out of the room.

"All right, all of you, this has gone far enough!" Leon said angrily to the others. "Stop this madness right now or I'll…" But Leon was cut short when a rolling tray accidentally ran him over and halted beside Terra with a slight squeal of its wheels.

"How 'bout a nice cup of tea? It's chamomile so it should help you relax and rest," said the teapot as she poured said tea into a teacup.

"No tea, you two! No tea!" Leon ordered Sora and the teapot, but the duo didn't pay their friend any heed. As Terra sipped the tea, a small female voice said, "Ha-ha! That tickles!"

Terra put the teacup in the palm of his hand and saw a face on the porcelain surface. It was alive, too, like the rest of the objects. Was there anything in this castle that wasn't animate?

"Oh, hello there," said Terra, but before he could ask for her name, a roar echoed through the Castle. The doors behind Terra flew open and the fire went out with a whoosh. Every single one of the objects was terrified.

Leon ducked underneath the floor rug for cover from whatever had entered the room. Pluto darted under a table to hide. The teapot was quivering, her lid rattling against her porcelain body. Even Sora was a little scared, though he tried his hardest not to show it.

The teacup fled behind the teapot and quietly said, "Uh, oh."

Uh, oh was right.

Terra heard growling behind him. He felt his blood run cold and the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. Terra had never felt that way before, even around the Heartless. Whatever was behind him was unlike anything he had ever faced before in his entire life.

"There's a stranger here," Terra heard a gruff voice say. The arctic, yet furious, tone of its voice sent cold, fearful shivers up Terra's spine.

"Master, please, allow me to explain the situation at hand," Sora started timidly. Obviously he was a little scared to anger his master. "You see, this man, Terra, fought off all those Heartless at the gate and…" The candelabra's statement was cut short by a roar that blew out his candles like the fire had only a few moments before.

"Um, master, there is something I would like to say," said Leon as he pulled himself a little bit out of the rug. "I was against all this at the start. It was all Sora's fault. I tried to stop him, but did he listen to me? No, no…" The thing roared again and Leon fled back under the rug. Terra could see the clock's form shiver in fear under the thick fabric of the rug.

Terra looked to his right out of fear and curiosity, but saw nothing. He turned his head to the left and froze in fear. What he saw terrified him. Next to his face was a set of razor sharp teeth and eyes that were full of rage that belonged to a creature with silver fur.

The thing reminded Terra a lot of Beast, the enchanted prince who had lived in his castle in solitude until one of the Princesses of Heart, Belle, came to his castle and fell in love with him.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my castle?" the beast-like thing demanded Terra in a gruff, husky voice. Terra jumped out of his seat and stood in a defensive stance so that if he needed to, he could protect himself. The Chaser tried to face the beast though he could feel himself tremble slightly in fear.

"I battled the Heartless outside of your door and…"

"You are not welcome here!"

"I'm sorry." Terra found the courage to look at the beast's face and he could've sworn that, though it was very dark in the room, the thing's eyes looked oddly familiar.

"What are you staring at?" The beast rose to his full height, a good foot above Terra's head.

"Nothing!" said Terra, shaking his head fearfully, but the beast wasn't convinced.

"So, you've come to stare at the Beast of Hollow Bastion Castle, have you?" The situation was getting ugly really fast. Terra tried to run, but the beast was faster. It blocked the path to the door with its enormous, looming figure and Terra's only way out.

"Please, I mean you and your servants no harm! I just need somewhere to rest and regain my strength so I can get home!"

"I'll give you a place to rest!" The beast grabbed the front of Terra's shirt and carried him away, leaving the frightened animate objects behind in shock.

* * *

Please comment, everyone. All comments and constructive criticism are welcome. :)

Tori: Wait a minute. Terra is being held prisoner!

Guardian: It's all part of the plot, Tori. Don't worry. It will get better soon. I promise.


	5. Chapter 4 A Wedding Proposal and a Trade

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Beauty and the Beast.** I only own the plotline and my OC's.

I'm sorry that I haven't updated this fic for a while. School, homework, projects, and final exams kept me busy from updating, but I'm going to update the next few chapters over the next couple of weeks. Anyway enjoy the next chapter!

Tori: What's going to happen to Terra, Guardian?

Guardian: Patience, Tori, patience.

* * *

Chapter Four

A Wedding Proposal and a Trade

The next morning in Hollow Bastion, Marluxia and Xigbar walked down Hollow Bastion's many roads and narrow streets to Tori's house which was a block away from Merlin's place. Marluxia was dressed in his best clothes and looked so excited that, from a scale from 1 to 10, he was an 11. The wedding plans had already been arranged and the party had been set up in front of the Serai's front door so that when Tori said yes, Marluxia would marry her at that moment. There was a beautiful wedding arch covered in red roses and flowers off all kinds were strewn everywhere. On a table was a huge white wedding cake and a band was ready to play the wedding march. All of Hollow Bastion had been invited, except Yuffie and Cid, of course. The ladies were in their best dresses and the men in their Sunday wear.

The priest stood underneath the ornate arch with his Bible in hand, but looked uncertain about what was happening because he knew that Tori would never marry someone like Marluxia because she was so much like her mother when it came to men and marriage. Tori wanted someone to love her for her inner beauty despite her outer appearance and to love for who she was and not change her in any way. Hikari had been the same way. That was why she married Korain, Tori and Terra's father. The priest remembered their wedding day well because it was he that had joined Korain and Hikari in marriage. Something just told him that this wasn't going to be good.

All the young men were jealous of Marluxia and all girls were crying because Marluxia was going to marry Tori the strange girl.

"Oh, boy. Tori is going to get the surprise of her life, huh, Marluxia?" Xigbar asked his ecstatic pink haired friend as he looked around at the scene of people before them. Marluxia smiled that seductive, sly smile of his.

"Yes, Xigbar, this is her lucky day." The thing was that Marluxia had something special to ask Tori about. (A/N: Any guesses? Anyone?) When they got to the Serais' front door, Marluxia said, "Wait for me out here, Xigbar, and tell the band to play once Tori and I come out that door. Time for me to work my magic."

Marluxia fixed his all ready perfect hair, brushed off the front of his clothes with his hands, and casually walked to the door.

xXNo change of heart... A change in meXx

_When they finally came back to Hollow Bastion Castle, it was too late. The servant boy gazed in horror at the dead bodies of King and Queen, sorrowful tears slipping down his cheeks. He walked over to them and his body was shaking so badly from the grief and sorrow that it brought him to his knees beside his beloved Master and Mistress. If only he had come back sooner, he probably could have stopped all this._

"_You're seriously grieving those fools?" The servant boy looked up to find his best friend, the Prince, staring down at him coldly as if his parents hadn't died. The young Keyblade Master glared at him and cried, "Your parents are dead and you aren't grieving for them! Look at what that witch has turned you into: a heartless monster who doesn't even feel sorrow or pain at the deaths of his family and friends!" _

_The retort struck a chord in the Prince and his head felt like it would burst. He gripped his head in agony then looked down at his slain parents, who were killed in cold blood by the witch's hand. _"_Mom? …Dad?" The spell the witch had cast upon him shattered and the Prince remembered everything that had happened…what he had done. He took his hands away from his head and looked down at his friend, the servant boy. "Sora?"_

_Sora smiled and said, "Welcome back…" _

There was a knock on the front door. Tori growled in frustration because she was at the good part of her book, but she knew that it was very impolite to not answer the door when a guest came to the house. So she reluctantly marked her spot with her beloved leather sapphire bookmark that was decorated with cerulean rhinestones and silver leaf that her mother had given her as a present and looked through the eyehole on the door. Though her view was distorted, Tori could make out the cobalt eyes, pink hair, and the sly grin that she wanted to rip off his face.

Marluxia.

Tori groaned, but she answered the door anyway out of politeness.

"Marluxia, what a…pleasant surprise." Tori backed up a couple of paces as Marluxia entered the house and closed the front door.

"Well, Tori, I'm just full of surprises. You know, Tori, my darling, there isn't a single girl in town who wouldn't _love_ to be in your shoes because this is the day that all of your dreams come true." Tori backed up behind the dining room table to further herself away from Marluxia's clutches. The conversation was going in a direction she didn't want to go…Tori could tell.

"What could you know about my dreams, Marluxia?"

"Plenty! Now, picture this: a big mansion, a huge fire crackling in the fireplace, my little wife massaging my feet while the little ones play with the dogs. Of course, we'll have six or seven." Marluxia leaned in towards Tori and smiled, baring his dazzling perfect white teeth.

"Dogs?" Tori asked with a forced smile. Marluxia chuckled.

"No, Tori. Handsome young boys like me."

"Imagine that." Tori took some of her books off of the table and put them back in their places on her private bookshelf that was on the left hand side of the dining room's fireplace.

"And do you know who that beautiful little wife of mine will be?" Marluxia asked as he walked towards her as she finished putting the books away in the bookcase.

"Let me think…" Tori knew that her worse fears had been confirmed.

"You, Tori!" Marluxia placed both hands on the walls to corner her, but Tori quickly darted from under his arms and set one of the dining room chairs in Marluxia's way. Marluxia walked towards her and pushed the chair aside.

"Marluxia, I'm…speechless," Tori said as she leaned her body against the front door. "I really don't know what to say to your proposal."

Marluxia chuckled then put his hands on either side of Tori, pinning her to the door. "Just say that you'll marry me, Tori." (A/N: Ding, ding, ding! Prize to the reader who guessed right :))

"I'm sorry, Marluxia, but I…I…" She felt along the door for the handle as Marluxia leaned in to kiss her. "I just don't deserve you!"

Tori opened the front door and watched as Marluxia tumbled out the doorway and did a face-plant on the cobblestones. Wedding music started to play and a large crowd of people stood before her. Marluxia had planned a wedding in front of her house behind her back and that made Tori very angry. But her anger soon dissipated when she saw that Marluxia had just made a fool of himself in front of the entire town. Tori quickly smiled and waved at the priest, who looked relieved and smiled back at her, before closing the door and locking it.

Xigbar went up to Marluxia, not getting too close, and asked, "So…how'd it go?"

Marluxia hastily got up, angrily brushed himself off, and snapped, "I'll have Tori for my bride. Make no mistake about that!"

And he stormed off with Xigbar following him like a dog while the townspeople cleaned up the party and went back to their houses.

Tori waited a good hour before going outside again. Tori grabbed _Legends of the Keyblade Bearers _and slowly opened the front door, her eyes darting to look up and down the street just in case Marluxia was still there.

"Is he gone?" she asked herself. Marluxia and Xigbar were no where in sight and the party had been cleaned up; the coast was clear. Tori breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good…he's gone. The nerve of that man! Ugh! I can't believe that he asked me to marry him without asking Terra for permission and planned an entire wedding ceremony behind my back!"

Tori stepped outside and closed the front door behind her with her book in hand. She strolled down Hollow Bastion's streets and roads towards the gorge to calm herself down after Marluxia's little 'visit' that morning.

'A walk would do me some good after what happened today,' Tori thought to herself as she went down a flight of stairs, past the Bailey, and walked down the narrow road that led down to the gorge. Tori sat in the entrance that descended into the gorge and her mind started to wander to thoughts of Terra as she gazed out at Hollow Bastion Castle. Terra had been gone a really long time, a whole day and night to be exact, which was odd. It didn't usually take this long for her brother to exterminate a good sized pack of Heartless and come back home. Tori knew from past experiences of riding through the gorge on Scarlet that it only took about a couple of hours to reach Hollow Bastion Castle at a trot. And Terra was a Keyblade Bearer, a Chaser to be precise, one of the best in all the Worlds, and it only took him a good hour to two hours to eliminate a couple hundred Heartless.

Something was wrong…horribly, terribly wrong.

After several minutes of worrying and attempting to read her book, Tori heard a familiar whinny pierce the silence of the gorge.

Scarlet.

Tori stood up to get a better view of the length of the gorge and saw something red, chestnut-colored she figured, moving very quickly towards her at the speed of a horse's gallop. Tori felt relief wash over her, but it was soon replaced with fear. As it came closer, Tori saw that it was her chestnut mare, but her saddle was empty.

Tori's worse fears had been confirmed.

Scarlet galloped up the slope towards her, whinnying fearfully. Tori grabbed Scarlet's reins and tried to calm down the jittery mare. "Scarlet! Where's Terra, Scarlet? What happened?"

Tori looked into her horse's eyes and somehow she knew what they were trying to tell her: _Hurry! We need to go now! Terra's in danger! _Sensing Scarlet's pleas to get her to leave, Tori grabbed the saddle horn and climbed into the saddle with expert grace.

"We have to find him! You need to take me to him, Scarlet!" The horse agreed with a bob of her head and galloped as fast as her legs could towards Hollow Bastion Castle once Tori had a firm hold on the reins.

'Hold on, Terra. We're coming.'

xXNo change of heart... A change in meXx

Scarlet never once slackened her pace until they reached the Castle gates. The mare stopped in front of the cruel, iron wrought bars and nervously pawed the ground with a hoof. Tori slid out of the saddle and gazed up at the enormous edifice. This was as close as she had ever dared to come near the Castle since she came to live in Hollow Bastion.

"So this is Hollow Bastion Castle, huh? It looks a lot bigger up close, that's for sure."

Tori looked around the gates for any signs that Terra had been there. She checked the cliffs and the rocks, but she found neither hide nor hair of her brother. Tori checked around the gates leading to the stone bridge that led to the front doors of the Castle again and stopped. On the bridge, just beyond the gateway, she saw something glint in the last rays of the sunset. She opened the gate and ran inside. The glittering object was about twenty feet away from the gates. Tori picked it up and, to her horror, saw that it was one of Terra's Keychains.

"He's here, Scarlet. I'm sure of it." Tori grabbed Scarlet's reins and led her mare to the front entrance of the Castle. After tying Scarlet to a statue near the entrance, Tori walked up to the massive double doors and cautiously opened them. They opened with a slight creak and she called out into the darkness of the Castle, "Hello? Is anyone here?"

No one answered her and nothing moved or even stirred in the shadows. Tori went inside, shut the doors behind her and continued on. She walked through the massive foyer to the main stairs and started searching along the corridors.

"Hello? Terra? Terra, are you here?"

Meanwhile in the kitchen, while Tori was meandering through the Castle, the little teacup that had given Terra a drink said, "Aerith, there's a girl in the Castle!"

xXNo change of heart... A change in meXx

The teapot wasn't convinced and was a little incensed at Lexie's declaration. "Lexie, I won't have you making up such wild stories. I don't want to get everyone's hopes up only to have them be crushed when they find out that it's not true."

"But, Aerith, I really saw her," the teacup said in a hurt tone. It really wasn't like Lexie to lie like this, but Aerith wasn't taking any chances for the others' sakes.

"Not another word from you, Lexie. Now get into the tub and no arguing." Aerith helped Lexie into the washtub and the teacup dropped into the bathwater with a plop. Lexie was still washing up when a voice startled them both.

"A girl!" cried a voice from above Aerith's head, figuratively speaking. She looked up and saw a feather duster with pink feathers on one of the shelves. "I saw a girl in the Castle, Aerith!"

"See? I told ya," said Lexie with a giggle from the tub. Aerith couldn't believe her ears. Was it true? Had their prayers been answered at last?

xXNo change of heart... A change in meXx

"We just couldn't keep quiet, could we? We just had to talk to him, serve him tea, let him sit in the Master's armchair, and pet the dog!" Leon scolded Sora, who wasn't really listening.

"I was trying to be friendly to him, Leon, you know that!" Sora said a little miffed at Leon's remark at his being kind to Terra.

"But you were irresponsible, all the same! You can be so naïve and…!"

"Terra?" Both objects fell silent at the voice and looked into the corridor. The owner of the voice passed them by, looking towards the other side of the hall, and disappearing further down into the hallway.

"Did you see that, Leon?" Sora asked his friend excitedly. But to make sure that they weren't dreaming, the duo hopped over to the door and to their left down the corridor. What they saw shocked them.

"It's a girl!" Sora gasped. "It's a girl around my age, I think."

"I know that it's a girl, Sora. Anyone could figure that out."

"But don't you see, Leon? It's the girl we've been waiting for! She's come to break the spell!" Without a second thought, Sora took after her down the hall.

"Wait a minute, Sora! Just wait!" called Leon and he scrambled after the candelabra.

xXNo change of heart... A change in meXx

"Terra?" Tori called out, looking around her for any movement. A door creaked behind her and opened up. "Terra?"

Sora and Leon took cover. Leon hid behind the door and Sora hopped as fast as he could up the stairs to the tower dungeons as Tori walked through the door.

"Hello? Is somebody in here?" Tori called out again. She looked up and saw a light moving up along the stairs. "Wait! I'm looking for my brother! I…"

She hurried up the stairs, taking them two at a time, and found herself in a room full of doors. No one was in sight. "That's weird. I'm sure I saw someone on the stairs," she said to herself. "Is anyone here?"

"Tori?" called a tired voice from one of the doors. A face appeared in the opening of one, the light from the torches illuminating his face. Tori gasped.

"Terra!" Tori ran over to her brother and grabbed one of the torches to help her see.

"How did you find me?" Terra asked as Tori took one of his hands into her own.

"Scarlet found me and I came here looking for you. Oh!" she gasped. Terra's hand was cold. "Your hand is as cold as ice. And you're burning up!" Tori placed a hand on her brother's forehead and felt that it was extremely hot. She examined the rest of him and saw marks on his body that were crusted over with dried blood, but they didn't look infected. The Heartless had hurt him, but his fever and chills were caused by being in the cell overnight in the pre-winter air coming in from the window. "I've got to get you out of here."

Tori looked at the door and saw a lock. She jiggled the handle to make sure; the door wouldn't open. "Ugh, locked." She scrutinized the problem and her light bulb turned on. "Wait a minute. Terra, hand me your Keyblade through the bars. I can use it to unlock the door!"

"It won't work, Tori. I've already tried," Terra said in a defeated tone of voice. Tori had never seen him like this. Her brother had never had a defeated look on his face…until now. "Tori, you need to get out of here now. I don't have time to explain, just go! Now!"

"I'm not going. I won't leave you here, Terra!"

"What are you doing here?" asked a gruff voice. Tori couldn't see who was the owner of the voice, but felt the person's strength as it knocked the torch out of her hand. It landed in a puddle on the floor and went out with a sizzle.

"Run, Tori!" Terra yelled, but she was rooted to her spot. Tori thought that it might've been fear that kept her there, but maybe it was something else; maybe it was a reflex to protect her brother from harm even though she was scared.

"Who's there? Who are you? I know that someone's there," Tori asked the darkness that surrounded her like a dark blanket of shadow. Something moved in the dark.

"The master of this castle," the figure growled in a beast-like way. It moved towards the other side of the door, opposite to Tori, to face her. Tori saw that it evaded the light that came from a hole in the tower roof.

"I've come from my brother, sir. Please let him out!" she pleaded, looking at the silhouette she saw in the shadows now that her eyes had adjusted to the dimness of the room. "Can't you see that he is hurt and sick?"

"Then he shouldn't have trespassed here!"

"Trespassing doesn't warrant such a punishment as this! Plus he could get worse in these conditions and die! Please, sir, I'll do anything for his release!" The thing was unaffected by her words and felt no remorse for her situation.

"There's nothing you can do for him now. He's my prisoner!" The person, Tori thought it was a person, turned to leave the room with a low growl.

"Oh, but there must be something I can do. Wait!" The thing stopped and turned his head to look at Tori. Tori thought hard for the right words to say, and found her courage so that she wouldn't have any second thoughts, as put her face in the light of the opening in the roof. She took a deep breath and said, "Take me instead."

"You…" The person stopped in mid-sentence, letting Tori's words sink in. "You would…take his place?" he said in a calmer tone, but he sounded confused by her decision to take her brother's place as his prisoner.

"Tori, no, please! You don't know what you're doing!" Tori didn't listen to her brother's pleas, shutting them out so that she could do what she needed to without any hesitations, and continued.

"If I take Terra's place, will you let him go?"

"Yes, but…you must promise to stay here forever." Tori could see his silhouette in front of her, but she needed to know who she was making this pact with.

"Come into the light," she asked the thing and he hesitantly complied. A foot like a dog's rear paw came into view and the rest soon followed it. Tori looked up and gasped in fear.

He was at least six feet tall or more, towering over Tori's smaller form. He had cruel looking claws, sharp dog-like teeth, curved horns, and silver fur that reminded Tori of moonbeams. But what scared Tori the most were his eyes. They glared at her with an arctic blue fire and the shadows the light had created on his face had only intensified their contempt and coldness towards her. It was only when Tori looked into his eyes that she realized what she had done.

She had made a trade with a silver haired beast.

Tori turned away from the beast and pressed her face against the door of Terra's cell, terrified.

"Tori, please don't do this!" Terra pleaded, looking into her scared green eyes. "Not for me."

But her mind was made up. Tori stood up and walked into the light until she was only a foot away from the beast. Tori was scared, but she faced him despite her fears. She closed her eyes and the words flowed on their own accord out of her mouth.

"You have my word."

"Done!" Tori fell to the floor as the beast released her brother, her head in her hands. Terra dropped to the floor beside his sister and gathered her into his arms.

"Tori, why?" he asked, removing Tori's hands away from her face. She looked up at Terra with sad green eyes that made his heart ache and she smiled sadly at him.

"I had to, Terra. I'd do anything for your safety even if it meant risking mine." Terra hugged his sister tighter than before and kissed her forehead. Then Terra was ripped away from her and Tori saw the beast drag him away.

"Wait! No, please, wait!" Tori called, but it was in vain. The beast wasn't going to listen to her pleas now that the deal was done.

"Tori, take care of yourself! I love you!" And Terra was gone.

The beast dragged Terra out of the Castle to a carriage and threw him inside.

"Please don't hurt my sister, sir. I wouldn't be able to bear it if she was ever harmed. She's the only family I have in this world." Terra's words seemed to soften the beast's heart a bit. The beast knew that this man would do anything for his sister and she for him.

"She isn't your concern anymore, but I swear that I won't harm her or that any harm comes to her." The beast closed the door and the carriage went on its way to Hollow Bastion. As he was taken past the Gate, Terra heard Tori yell from the tower, "I love you, too!"

xXNo change in heart... A change in meXx

The beast was walking back up the stairs to the tower dungeons where he had left the girl when he heard someone ask, "Master?"

"What?" he growled, making Sora flinch.

"I was wondering…since the girl will be staying here, we could give her a more comfortable room?" Sora asked timidly. The beast growled harshly at him and went to where the girl was. "Then again…maybe not," Sora said mostly to himself.

The beast found his prisoner crying by the window in her brother's cell. She was sitting on the ground, her legs drawn up close to her body, her face buried in her arms. He watched as her shoulders shudder and quake with her sobs. Tori looked up with reddened eyes from crying, her face stained with tear trails, and saw the beast.

"You didn't even let me say good-bye," she said sadly to him, her voice hoarse from weeping. "I'll never see Terra again and you didn't even let me say good-bye to him."

Tori buried her head in her arms again and new tears started to fall silently down her cheeks. The beast took her words to heart and a brief second of remorse passed over his features as he watched her start to cry again.

"I'll show you to your room," he said, regaining his indifferent composure once more. Tori lifted her face from her arms and looked up at him again surprised.

"My room? But I thought that…"

"You want to stay up here in the tower?"

"No."

"Then follow me." The beast grabbed Sora and led Tori down the corridors to her bedroom.

During their journey to her room, Tori got a good look at the place. The statuary looked menacing and frightened her tremendously. Her thoughts fled to Terra and she wished that he was there by her side comforting her and making her fears go away.

The beast turned around a bit to glance at her face and saw that she had silent tears running down her cheeks once more. He felt a little sorry for her for a moment.

"Say something to her," Sora whispered in his ear. The beast thought for a second then said, "I…I hope you like it here." The beast turned back to Sora, not sure how to continue the conversation, but the candelabra just motioned him to keep going. "The Castle is your home now, so you can go anywhere you like except the West Wing."

"What's in the West…?" Tori started to ask, but the beast cut her off.

"IT'S FORBIDDEN!" he said sharply to her, turning to look her in the eyes to make his point clear. Tori stepped back a pace; one look in her eyes and the beast could tell that she understood. He turned back around and kept going down the hall. Tori followed him with her head bent away from the gazes of the statues.

The beast stopped at the end of one corridor with a window that looked out to the world below and opened the last door to his right.

"Now, if you need anything, my servants will attend you," he told Tori as she slowly walked into her room.

"Dinner…invite her to dinner, Master," Sora quietly suggested in his ear. But the results of his suggestion were not what Sora had hoped for.

"You will join me in the dining hall for dinner! That's not a request!" the beast ordered and he slammed the door behind her. Tori leaned against the door and felt her heart grow heavy with sadness and grief. She flew across the room and collapsed upon the bed. Tori cried and cried well into the night while the snow started to blow against the enormous window in her room.

* * *

I hope that you all liked the new chapter.

Tori: What's going to happen to me now, Guardian?

Guardian: I'll let you and the readers find that out in the upcoming chapters, Tori. But don't worry. It gets better. ^^


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